The End
by Roland Farqueson
Summary: Zoe is having trouble after Wash's death as are all of the crew. However they have unfinished buisness. They need to show the galaxy what happened after their signal from Mr.Universe was blocked. The last thing they nedd are two fugitives on board
1. Chapter 1:Some Passengers

Zoë let the crate thud down onto the floor of the ship yet another menial job was under way

Zoë let the crate thud down onto the floor of the ship yet another menial job was under way. She had to pile on yet more food for their often-long jaunts out into space, which were always so much longer, whether it was the fact that the Captain was now left to fly the ship or the fact that Wash was no longer around, she was quite sure of the answer though. Times were so hard without him or his devious smile around to make her day complete. She moved around and picked up another crate off the floor and heaved back against it using her knees and back to put more strength into it. She placed it next to the other crate with a sigh of strain and let herself collapse onto the crate.

She pivoted around on it and sat on it wiping the sweat off her brow. She looked out of the back into the market area of Persephone.

There were many people walking around the area many of them just simple towns folk who were doing there usual shopping or trying to get themselves work. It was quite easy to tell the difference between the citizens and the ones looking for work, they wore guns on their hips, their armour was a definite give away as well.

Zoë took a moment to enjoy the smiling faces those of people struggling to make ends meet, ones waiting to be reunited with loved ones, just people suffering but still they found their happiness in this corner of the galaxy.

She wondered how long it would be even after six months that he'd gone that she'd be truly happy again. She found every job she could for now to keep her mind occupied. It was the nights that were the hardest, where she had no one but herself to keep company. She'd taken to drinking a lot to try and numb the emptiness but that just made the mornings so much harder to bear with.

She was about to stand up and get back to work when Mal appeared at the side of the entrance.

"Here she is," he said tapping the side of Serenity, "Fastest and safest firefly around"

,what do you think? We're still looking for a proper pilot to fly this bug but she's got the best engineer from here to earth." Mal said talking up the ship.

The people he was showing were two people. A man and a woman, the man appeared quite young and still had the look of a youth about him. The woman appeared to be the same age. Both of them were huddled up in long black coats covering what they were wearing underneath. The man was wearing a pair of boots; they were quite worn down and looked as though they'd endured a hell of a lot. Zoë was instantly suspicious after all who wore big coats when it was hot out?

The woman appeared to be very tired her shortish hair was dangling in front of her face and was really greasy and looked as though she'd been on a long run and was exhausted.

The man had average hair, for a man, he looked as though he'd tried to style it but he also looked extremely tired and his hair was in probably worse shape then his companions.

"You're looking for a pilot?" the man asked.

"Sure am, you happen to know any?" Mal replied

"No sorry," The man said giving a shy glance to his companion.

"Well what do you say, we're a friendly bunch and we get along with almost any one, 'cept those alliance types." Mal let out a laugh when he finished.

The man gave another shy glance to his companion and the two laughed sheepishly almost as though their laughter was forced.

Mal stepped aside and spread his right arm wide in an arch beckoning the two onto the ship. They needed more money, and people wanting to go places were often prepared to pay a lot. Mal had taken a policy of not asking why people wanted to move around he merely told people as long as it didn't bring him trouble he wouldn't care much.

The two didn't appear to have any bags with them; Zoë thought they must have been escaping in a hurry from somebody if they couldn't afford to bring belongings with them. The man gave her a passing glance and then put his arm around his companion and whispered something to her.

"There's a spare room for guests, you'll be just opposite the doctor's room." Mal shouted to them.

"There's a doctor on board?" the woman eventually spoke. She had a voice that suggested some sort of inner strength that if it weren't for her tired state she'd be a force to be reckoned with.

The two disappeared up the stairs towards the rooms.

"Zoë?" Mal asked, she'd been staring at the door that they'd left through.

She looked across at him but didn't speak she just raised her eyebrows in a questioning manner.

"Could you show them to their rooms?" he asked his face looking as cheery as ever.

Zoë smiled and nodded, "Sure thing Cap" she got up to leave but then paused to speak to him again.

"Cap?"

"Yup?"

"Don't you think it's strange that they don't have anything with them, they don't seem particularly keen to talk either?"

"Do care, just want their money Zoë" Mal replied smiling.

Zoë nodded acceptingly and followed after the quiet pair.

Mal continued to do the work that Zoë had started and moved down to the outside where their supplies had been dropped and he bent down to pick up the nearest crate and haul it into the ship.

He picked up the crate and turned round struggling at it and saw Keighley, Simon and River approaching through the market. River was clutching a large bit of machinery close to her chest and skipped along in front of Keighley and Simon who were walking along holding hands. Admittedly Simon looked uncomfortable showing any signs of affection in public. However the Doc had always been a bit of a weird man.

He stood there a moment and watched the happy trio approach.

"How are we all, enjoying ourselves?" he asked

"Yes, although they be a little slow here I think, something a little strange about them." River responded although she looked at Mal as though he wasn't even there again. She had a habit of doing that however that was just how it was with her. Nothing especially weird about that for her.

"How are things with Serenity Cap?" Keighley asked her smile revisiting her face as she spoke about one of the passions in her life her precious Serenity.

"They're fine as a matter of fact, found ourselves a little profit on the way, picked up some passengers to give us a small profit should keep us going a while." Mal explained.

"Shiny!" she exclaimed and led Simon into the ship by his hand.

"Shiny!" River repeated and followed after them.

"Shiny" Mal said under his breath shaking his head.

He then took the crate on board into the cargo area.

He spent the next fifteen minutes taking the boxes on. Only one more crewmember to wait for.

Jayne.

Whatever he was doing Mal expected it had something to do with drinking, guns or women. Or knowing Jayne all three Mal mused how humours it would be if Jayne gave up chasing all three, what would the big oaf have left in his life?

Mal let out a silent chuckle as he placed the last crate down and looked down the ramp into the ship and he could see people looking down at the street. Mal confused wondered what they were looking at and then as if he was cursed he heard shouting and screams coming from down the street. He knew exactly what was causing the disturbance.

He placed the last box down on the floor almost throwing it there. He half ran and walked to the edge of the ship and peered round. Sure enough as though he could see the future there was Jayne running as fast as he could three men in quick pursuit of him. Jayne clutched to his chest a collection of things and he kept glancing over his shoulder at the oncoming men.

Mal reacted quickly he slammed the button down for the door to close and then began to run for the cockpit he figured he'd need to make a quick get away.

He bounded up the steps looking at the closing door to see Jayne running under it as quick as possible and he glanced back and let out a laugh as the men were stuck on the outside yelling curses and abuse at him.

Jayne returned the curses with his own abuse.

"Yeeha! That's another one for me" he joyfully yelled. He pulled form under the bundle that he was carrying a gun a rather big one at that. Yet another one to add to the collection no doubt.

Mal had no time to comment he just ran through past Keighley who'd appeared to see what all the fuss was about.

"What's hap-" she began.

"No time" Mal cut her off running for the cockpit as fast as he could.

Zoë was already there in the cockpit she was simply sat in the co-pilot seat configuring one of the consoles. As Mal hurried in and dived into the pilot's seat she turned round to look at him. He quickly flicked all the necessary switches and then gripped the main controls.

"What's going on?" Zoë asked as Keighley appeared at the door behind Mal.

"That's what I'd like to know" she joined in.

"JAYNE!" Mal yelled over his shoulder down the ship. Jayne then made a hurried entrance almost knocking Keighley out of the way. He was grinning like a small child and was out of breath like one.

"What in dong ma are you doing now?" He asked as he struggled to get Serenity airborne as quickly as possible.

"Got myself into a game, Mal that's all, some people can't take losing especially when it comes to this." Jayne defended then held out his prize a large handgun that seemed to glow in the sunlight that slipped in through the cockpit windows.

Mal looked at it for a moment.

"You stole it didn't you?" he asked looking back to his task in hand.

"No I won it at cards, dammit Mal why do you always think I'm stealing things." Jayne said sounding almost hurt at the comment.

"You cheated then didn't you? That's the same as stealing you know" Mal said not looking away from his current task.

"Well…I…er…well…I…may have….okay I cheated, but look at it Mal it was worth it." Jayne stammered, again holding it out as though the very thing could cure all diseases on it's own.

"It's only a gun Jayne…some day you might realise that." Mal said struggling to get the ship out of the atmosphere. The ship began to shake and then after a few precarious moments they were clear of the planet.

Mal sighed and then let go of the controls, he then span the seat round to face the somewhat renegade member of their crew.

"When are you going to get it into that thick skull of yours we need all the friends we can get, and we can't afford any more enemies in Persephone." Mal explained as though some one would to a small child.

"Awh well…I got it that's what matters" Jayne said running out of arguments back.

"You know I said my days of not taking you seriously were coming to a middle?" Mal asked.

"Yes?"

"Well they just slipped back to the beginning." He added standing up and left the room.


	2. Chapter 2: Fugitives

Mal was sat snoozing in the cockpit of Serenity

Mal was sat snoozing in the cockpit of Serenity.

He snored happily in the pilots seat a tatty blanket wrapped around his shoulders and his head cocked to one side. He should have been awake to see the red flash that was coming from the vicinity radar screen. Something was approaching.

Keighley threw another spanner down into her toolbox and wiped yet more engine grease onto he dungarees and then brushed her hair out of her eyes. She was trying to fit the air filter back into the engine. They needed a new one that's what River had been carrying for her. River was also there she was holding the part up to where it should go in the engine. He tongue was stuck out and one eye closed as though she was imagining what the part would look like in place.

Simon siphoned through the collection of drugs on board taking an up to date inventory taking account of the new stock he now had from the addition of new supplies. He flicked though a clipboard and looked down at the drugs they had run out. He went down the list till he saw that they had no more of something, then he moved over to some boxes which had now been put on patients table. He flicked through the capsules to find what he wanted and the corrected his list and placed it into its usual spot in the cupboard.

Zoë was keeping herself occupied and sat in the same room as Jayne in the kitchen area. Jayne had taken his gun apart and the two looked at it admiringly as much as the man irritated her. She had to admit that he had good taste in firearms and always had an eye for them.

The two strangers hadn't appeared from their bedroom and hadn't even been introduced to most of the crew.

Mal was suddenly awoken when there was a sudden flash of a red light followed by a low sound of the siren. He awoke wondering what the hell was going on unable to focus quite properly he rolled his head around trying to figure out and then he glanced across to see the vicinity screen it was flashing red.

"Fu tai!" he exclaimed casting his blanket off him and leaning over to the pilot's control panel. They were being messaged, he flicked on all the monitors they were also being scanned for all life signs. He stood up and ran over to the radar screen, which was by the co-pilots seat he reached the screen and then slammed the metal area next to it in anger. It was an alliance battleship that wanted to speak to them.

Mal let out another rage outburst by kicking the side of the control panel.

He opened the communications channel with a flick of the switch.

A man who was quite mature looking who had the signs that he hadn't shaved that morning appeared in the screen. His skin was slightly tanned and his hair was waxed back.

"Am I addressing the Captain of the ship Serenity, Firefly class?" the man asked

"You are, what can I do for you admiral." Mal replied putting on his fake smile.

The man seemed to stare at Mal for a moment as though he was judging him as though he thought Mal was lying. He also took a moment to glance down at the monitor. The battle ship was over twenty five minutes away.

"I am Admiral Smite. I understand that you are transporting two people you shouldn't be."

_Simon…River!_ Mal thought.

"Oh really, all the people on this boat are legitimate fliers sir, we take the odd passengers for money, but who doesn't in this galaxy." Mal replied feigning ignorance.

"I'm sending two fighters to board your ship Captain to retrieve these criminals, I trust you're going to offer no resistance?"

"Wouldn't dream of it." Mal said smiling. The communications then ended.

He grabbed the on board communicators and pulled in close to his mouth.

"This is your Captain, you may have just heard the alarm, we're going to be boarded by two Alliance fighters looking for two fugitives, we don't have…" he glanced over to the door and saw the man he had introduced onto the ship. He was standing there in his large black coat again and this time he held a revolver type gun in his hand and it was pointing at Mal.

"What the?" he asked.

"Don't stop we're getting out of here." The man said cocking the gun, "you give us up to them and I swear I'll spray you're brains over this cockpit."

"What!" he exclaimed.

"Get us out of here now!" the man shouted.

"I don't…wait they're after you two?" Mal said only just realising what the man was talking about.

"I'm going to but I don't know how to out run fighters in this bug." Mal continued.

The man let out a sigh and lowered the gun; he then quickly took off his coat. He quickly took it off as he was obviously baking underneath it.

Mal was shocked at what he saw. The man was wearing the uniform of an Alliance pilot. The blue combat trousers and black combat boots. He also wore the black flak armour over a blue combat shirt. His shirt was open neck and revealed a cross sitting in between the gap of his collarbone.

Mal glanced at the man's sleeve and saw the markings of a lieutenant. They had an Alliance officer on board. He holstered his handgun into his thigh holster and looked at the room as though he was examining it. He then seemed to tighten the fingerless gloves that he wore.

He then moved towards the pilot's seat, "Move, I'll get us out of this." He said ushering Mal with his hands to move.

Mal stood up at little confused and was almost tempted to say something about the fact that he was the Captain on the ship, but they had other things to worry about than the chain of command of the vessel.

The man flicked several switches,

"We're going to have to stop for more fuel after this." He said not taking his eyes away from the monitors.

They were only a few minutes from the nearest planet. It wasn't much as far as Mal could remember just a wasteland planet with a few miners on it and the odd space travellers seeking at little bit of rest. As the man continued to hammer at switches and then eventually gripped the pilot's controls the cockpit flashed red all around again they were being hailed again.

Mal flicked on the monitor again.

The admiral appeared on the monitor with an expression mixed of anger and confusion.

"Captain, our scanners have noticed you have fired up your engines, what are you doing?" he asked in a commanding tone.

"Sorry I just realised I've let something in the oven, need to get home and take it before it burns" Mal replied flicking the screen off again.

"You better know what you're doing kid." Mal said to the man who was now going as fast as the ship could towards the planet.

"I'm not a kid, name's Lieutenant Jones…or Ben, whichever you prefer" he said not taking his concentration away from the controls.

They were making good progress when they heard footsteps behind them and most of the crew pilled into the cockpit.

"What the hell's going on Mal" Jayne asked grumpily, he then noticed the Alliance pilot sat at the controls of the ship. His gun came out of his holster faster then Mal had ever seen him react and pointed at the pilot. "Who's he?"

The pilot didn't seem to bothered by this and managed to simply glance once over his shoulder as if to confirm if he'd heard the sound of a gun being cocked.

"Jayne, relax, the Alliance they're after him, he's a pilot." Mal quickly explained urging him to lower the firearm.

"I told you there wasn't something right with him." Zoë said, like someone who had just accomplished a huge victory.

"Okay okay, so you were right, but we don't have time for this the Alliance fighters are going to catch up with us in around," he glanced at the radar, "ahhhh fu shi shang di ma! Two minutes"

"I say we stop and hand him over to the Alliance." Jayne said as thought it was the best idea in the world. "There might even be a reward." His grin seemed to stretch from ear to ear.

"Do you actually have a brain up there or do you just use it as something to grow more body hair out of?" Mal asked, "We give up these guys they're going to find River and Simon. Plus how do you think they're going to react when they realise that we know where the Revears come from?" he was almost shouting at the gorilla that had somehow managed to pass as a human being.

The ship began to shake as they entered they began to enter the atmosphere of the planet.

"Who's the engineer on the ship?" the pilot suddenly spoke.

"I am, Keighley's my name" Keighley spoke up she'd been silent until now.

"Right, I need you in the engine bay, I'm going to need you're help for this." He said.

"What are you going to do?" Keighley asked like an excited child.

"The Whiplash manoeuvre, ever done one before?"

"Something similar" she replied.

"Good now get ready for when I tell you, everyone else strap yourselves in, this is going to test this old bug." The pilot said as Keighley disappeared down the stairs and rushed out to the engine room.

Mal grabbed the intercom and pulled it to his mouth. "Simon, River and er…lady who I don't know the name of, strap yourselves up this is going to be a bumpy ride." He said.

Jayne and Zoë quickly hurried out of the cockpit to find somewhere to keep them strapped in.

Serenity seemed to thrash it's way through the atmosphere the Alliance fighters now only a minute away and approaching fast.

The old ship fought its way into the planet and then seemed to hurtle towards the ground.

Ben managed to pull it up level although if they wanted to make a landing they would literally slam into the planet and not much would be left of them.

Ben leaned over the control panel and hit a switch; the whole ship seemed to shut down. The engines were now off.

"What are you doing?" Mal shouted as they hurtled towards the planet surface at an alarming speed.

The fighters were only moments behind them.

"Shut up!" the man snapped. He reached up and grabbed the intercom, "Keighley now, do it now!"

Keighley looked around and then grabbed at lever that was located next to the engine and was bright red. She gripped it and forced it back.

Outside the fuel reserves were dumped behind Serenity and fell towards the ground like a black waterfall.

Ben reached over to the engine starters and flicked them up. The engines fired to life and he slammed on the turbo injector fuel engagers as well.

The fuel that had been dumped exploded from the flame that was in close proximity to it. The fuel expanded and Serenity combined with it's own turbo engine was fired upwards into space.

He gripped the controls as they shattered through the planet's atmosphere and then he seemed to tap various controls as the ship entered it's calm like status in space. He looked at the navigation screen and typed something in and then slammed the engines even harder projecting them even further into space.

After a few moments he sat back in the chair with a sigh and looked across at Mal. He smiled for the first time as Mal could tell.

"We're safe," he said. "We've got just about enough fuel for a landing but the momentum will keep us going to the next planet where we can refuel."

Mal nodded, "I think you owe us all an explanation."

"I guess I do." Ben replied.


	3. Chapter 3: The Pilot And The Scientest

The whole crew were now gathered in dinning area of the ship as they slowly drifted through space

The whole crew were now gathered in dinning area of the ship as they slowly drifted through space.

Mal sat on the table of the room with Zoë and Jayne either side of him. Simon was stood next to the kitchen area leaning with his back against the surface his arms crossed. Keighley sat on a chair with River close next to her.

Ben and Katy, as she'd now been introduced stood next to the each other and they looked towards the crew both stood up.

"We've been on the run for a few months now." Ben started

"We have information the Alliance is prepared to kill for, we know things that they'd rather no one knew about." Katy continued. "I was stationed close to the Revear strip where they regularly make raids against the boarder planets."

"As was I, I was a pilot against them, I was part of a task force designed to try and keep them under control, slow their raids down. However turns out we were simply there to guard the scientists stationed on a moon base. We never went out to help the boarder planets." Ben said a hint of detest in his eyes. Mal wasn't sure whether it was aimed at himself or the Alliance as a whole.

"I was a scientist for the Alliance we were supposed to research into what the Revears really where and more importantly a way of getting rid of them." Katy said

This prompted a glance of all the Serenity crew at each other. Except for River who was just staring at Ben in his uniform. She obviously felt uncomfortable at the fact that there was a man in alliance uniform standing around.

"It was here we met." Ben said, this prompted him to reach out for Katy's hand. The two smiled affectionately at each other.

"Oh you two are?" Keighley asked from her place next to River.

"Yes, however it was frowned upon by the heads of the moon base and they kept close eye on us." Katy said, "They don't like military and scientists getting too friendly."

"One day after coming back from a sight on a boarder planet where the whole population of a town had been massacred I saw Katy, she'd been up all night working and was the only person in the lab."

"I'd been researching on the body of a Revear that had been captured, I found whilst working on its brain that it was the same as you or I. Same functions, even when a charge had been put through it the brain functioned exactly the same. However for some reason every single pulse leads to the part of the brain that allows us to control our aggression and, to not punch someone who has insulted us for instance. However all of these electrical pulses lead to this aggressive receptor and they had an over burden of them. I then put time into finding out why this was. After several sleepless hours I found traces of toxins in the body, they were synthetic. They had something in their systems that as far as the records were concerned supposed to keep people docile and subjugated. However it works the other way round on around…"

"10" Mal interrupted.

Ben and Katy glanced at each other then looked shocked at the man.

"How do you know that?" Ben asked.

"Well as part of the Alliance you will of heard of the huge battle between a Revear and Alliance fleets. We were there, we caused it." Mal explained "We went to a planet beyond the Revear strip and we found a message left by a medical office called Mir-"

It was Katy's time to interrupt this time. "Miranda" she finished for him.

"I take it you know of it then?" Simon asked from his place by the kitchen.

"Yes, when the officers in charge of the moon realised what was going on they tried to put me under arrest. I didn't know all the facts then all I knew was the fact that the Revears were something to do with and Alliance cock up." She looked across and smiled at Ben. "Ben came and saved me from the arrest. He ended up killing some Feds who were stopping him from seeing me and we escaped on his fighter."

"My men also heard about the revears, I was only in charge of a fighter formation, that's five of us. They helped us escape, they knew what had happened and when I explained what the Alliance had been doing we started to fight back. The revolt spread through the moon base and we managed to escape in the confusion. As we escaped there were some frigates ready by the port to stop us from escaping and most of my men were killed escaping or fighting to allow other to escape. We headed for the Revear strip after a narrow miss and headed towards the planet where we found the records of Miranda. Then we knew everything." Ben explained the memory of his squads death obviously painful to remember. However he wrapped his arm around Katy and that seemed to steady him.

"We've been together six months now" Katy replied, "We've been on the run for around three now. Hitching lifts here and there dumping the fighter on a border planet."

"You're the first we've found who haven't realised we're fugitives and dumped us straight away." Ben said.

"We're in the same boat, literally and metaphorically" Zoë replied, "We've probably got more reason to escape the Alliance then you have though."

"Why is that?" Katy asked.

The whole crew turned and looked at River.

Who looked up from the floor and grinned and let out a laugh.


	4. Chapter 4: A New Crew

After a long talk of River and Simon's past the crew all sat around the dinining table along with Ben and Katy, who were sat a

After a long talk of River and Simon's past the crew all sat around the dinning table along with Ben and Katy, who were sat at one end next to each other.

"I'd heard of such projects in the 'verse but I thought it was political speculation" Katy said from her end of the table.

"Well it's fact we've been on the run for some time now." Simon said, "used a lot of money and friends to find this girl" he said putting his hand on Rivers head affectionately and he smiled.

Keighley was smiling at the pair, her closeness to Simon gave her a reason to smile most of the time but she was a sister figure to River and for the first time in a while she was truly happy on Serenity. Even after the horrors were Wash and Book had lost their lives. She tried so hard not to think about it but sometimes it got the better of her and she cried. However today was not one of those days.

Jayne was sat with his legs up on the table he was munching his way, rather noisily through an apple.

Mal sat with a cup of water in his hand and had been sipping at it as his crew had told their stories.

"So what have you got planned for us now Captain Reynolds?" Ben asked giving Katy a quick glance.

"Not much." He replied and took a sip from his cup of water.

"I see, we'll understand get out of your hair at the next port." Ben said. Starting to think of another plan to get him and Katy further out of the Alliances reach. "I was thinking a border planet would be the best option stay out of the Alliances way, some border planet where they think the brown coats will rise again, the Alliance don't have much influence on those planets." Ben suggested, as though he wanted some advice on his plan.

"No need." Mal said taking another sip from the cup and he took a quick glance at Zoë's questioning face.

"What do you mean?" Katy asked.

"Like I said, we're looking for a new pilot and I'm sure you would be useful on ship with your knowledge in science. Besides the best way to avoid the Alliance is to stay on the move all the time and we're always on the move…so" he said then looked at Zoë's face. Who seemed unmoved by the idea.

"You want us to stay?" Ben asked.

"Might as well." Mal said standing up and taking his cup to the sink to wash it.

"Is that okay with everyone?" Ben asked to the group.

"Yo'll seem alright to me," Jayne said glancing across.

"Sure that'd be shiny." Keighley agreed.

"I can't see a problem with it." Simon added.

"No one ever stays they always move along…at some point. Likes leaves" River added philosophically. Jayne looked at her with one eyebrow raised.

Zoë merely nodded.

"Well that's settled then, I guess you guys are part of the family now." Mal said, "All that goes on this boat…I'm not questioned" he said looking at Jayne, who ignored the comment and continued to eat. "Everyone gets ten percent of the profit, the rest goes to keeping us afloat."

Ben nodded and smiled as did Katy.

"Well I guess I better see how far we are away from the nearest planet." Ben said standing up.

"Thank you all." He said as he began to walk off and Katy began to follow after him. "Out of curiosity, where'd you learn to fly like that?" Keighley asked from her seat next to Simon.

"Every pilot in the Alliance has to do freight carrying for a year. I flew a Firefly Mark II, not as good as this one but still it was my first boat, not a lot I don't know about these little bugs" Ben said looking around the ship nostalgically.

"Well well, that's good for Serenity then." Keighley said beaming.

Ben and Katy left the room and headed to the cockpit.

"At least we've found somewhere to hide now." Ben said as he entered the cockpit.

"They all seem nice." Katy agreed.

Ben slumped down into the pilot seat and Katy moved over to the co-pilot seat and sat down and the two looked at each other across the gap.

"I just hope we fit in that's all." Ben said, "Never any good at meeting new people."

"Yeah well…it's nice to know we haven't got to avoid eye contact with others for a change, at least we've found others like us."

"True…how are you any way, I left you sleeping earlier before the Alliance turned up?"

"I'm okay now, I just need a wash and more rest I think," she reached up and touched a hair. "My hair needs a wash it's nasty."

Ben shook his head and smiled, "You always say that"

"It's true," she protested.

Ben grinned at her and turned to look out into space.

"I really hope we fit." He repeated more to himself then her.

Katy laughed, and he glanced across at her.

"What?"

"You…you make me laugh" she said grinning at him.

Mal and Zoë sat in the dinning room again.

Jayne had left to go to his room and probably was going to clean his other guns or get up to whatever Jayne did in his spare time when there weren't any women or alcohol close to hand.

Keighley had gone back to her burrow in the engine room, Mal was sure that she loved Serenity more then Simon.

Simon had taken River down to the cargo bay and was playing a game of basketball with her.

A long silence had passed between Zoë and Mal before either of them decided to speak.

Eventually it was Mal who spoke.

"So…how…do you feel…about…" he wasn't sure how to end it and was going to let his voice drift of into silence but Zoë spoke out for him.

"Ben? He's nice and very good at what he does" she replied not looking at Mal but continued to look at the wall in front of her.

"We need another pilot Zoë…I can't keep flying this old diamond for long." Mal said knowing that his decision had upset her.

"I know…it's just…I can still see Wash sitting in that chair…it's going to take me a while to adjust to Ben that's all." Zoë said. Her eyes were welling with tears she hadn't cried in a while but now it seemed like she was about to again.

"Look," Mal began placing a hand on her shoulder, "We need ourselves a good pilot if we've any hope of getting back at them Alliance. We need to get ourselves through that Reaver strip again. Ben's the best for the job…after all he knows and believes on our cause."

Zoë closed her eyes and held back the tears, "just don't expect me to like him that's all."

Mal laughed, "I never asked you to like him, just accept him."


	5. Chapter 5:Oberon

A few days later they had refuelled at the nearest space dock and had kept their cover low and had moved on

A few days later they had refuelled at the nearest space dock and had kept their cover low and had moved on.

Serenity swooped over the city and made an arch towards the docks. Ben kept it's movements as careful as possible. He leaned over and deployed the landing gear and slowly let the ship descend onto the planet. They landed smooth, as smooth as they had since Wash had gone.

Ben silenced the engines and smiled as he leaned back in the chair and pushed the controls away from him.

"There," he said.

"Good, you know the plan then?" Mal asked.

"Yup, I'm to go with Simon and get more medical supplies, you and Jayne are going to find this woman…. Inara?" He asked.

"That's her" Mal nodded,

"Right and Zoë and Katy are going to find some more ammunition and Keighley and River are going to stay here?"

"That's it you catch on fast for a pilot." Mal said.

A few minutes later they had all gathered in the cargo area and Keighley had opened up the main door.

"Right let's get moving then" Mal said striding off into the clean and very urban city, it was a mixture of blues, whites and greens from all the vegetation planted at the side of pavements. The buildings were tall and gleaning made from mostly glass it seemed. It reminded Ben of his home planet of Ariel. He walked down the ramp to following after Mal. The rest of the crew was right behind him and they seemed equally amazed at the beautiful city. The one thing that made it more amazing was that it wasn't heavily Alliance. This was one of the main planets that had fought against it in fact. The largest planet out of the independents. There was an Alliance presence but there wasn't and over abundance of the soldiers like on other planets there seemed to be.

Mal looked at his crew, "Right back here in six hours ready for take off. You think you can have us re-fuelled by then Keighley?" he shouted back at his engineer who was stood by the edge of the cargo bay.

"Sure can Cap' in" she replied.

"Shiny, right then Ben, Simon just make sure we get those medical supplies okay, we need them for Katy to collect her samples." Simon nodded and Ben was half way through a salute when he realised his mistake and stood looking quite shyly.

Mal was good about it though and merely smiled not drawing too much attention to it.

Ben placed a hand on Katy's shoulder and looked into her eyes.

"I'll see you soon okay?" he said.

She smiled and nodded.

"I love you" she said.

Ben stood and looked awkward for a moment and then with a few nervous glances at anywhere but her he let out a sigh.

"I love you too." He replied.

He then turned and he and Simon walked off down the street in search of the nearest clinic.

Simon was wearing his old Doctor's uniform and Ben was still in his surprisingly clean battle gear. They needed to look as official as possible when they collected the testing gear required to prove what the Alliance had done on the boarder planets.

"Right, Inara said to meet her at some local bar…" Mal said smiling, "So we must have a hard job in store for us." He grinned, Jayne let out a low chuckle that was almost a growl.

"Fine Cap…we'll find some more ammo." Zoë said,

"Oh don't forget those AT-34's I wanted" Jayne said as though he'd just remembered the secret to all existence.

"We wont." Zoë replied rolling her eyes and half smiling.

"Come on Katy let's see what Oberon is like." She continued leading her off in a similar direction to where Ben and Simon had walked off.

"Zoë, don't forget Ben needs a real gun as well." Mal shouted after them.

Mal and Jayne watched as the pair walked out of site round a corner.

He looked up to Keighley and he waved and he and Jayne then walked in the other direction.

"Mal" Jayne began.

"What?" Mal asked daringly.

"Why don't we trade them in for a tidy profit?" he asked.

"Jayne"

"Yes Mal?"

"Shut your mouth before I shut it for you" Mal replied as they headed off into Oberon

Zoe and Katy walked along at a calm speed towards the nearest weapon distributor and they walked past all sorts of people. Rich people, poor people, content people, desperate people and all kids of people that could be imagined. They walked past a fountain where some children played flicking water on each other and screaming and doing things that kids always seemed to do, which was, be loud.

Zoë paused briefly as one of the children ran in front of her being chased by a second one.

Katy smiled at the kid who looked back apologetically but didn't say anything.

"Let's keep moving." Zoë said shaking off the distraction.

It was then that Katy tried to start up a conversation.

"I heard from Keighley that you've been with the Captain since the Independents War?" she asked cheerfully.

"Yup," Zoë replied keeping her answer short.

"She said you him were extremely close" Katy pressed.

"Yeah, you could say that…but not too close." Zoë said,

"I know not that close…I know about…your husband." Katy said delicately.

Zoë breathed deeply and continued to walk along ignoring the comment and hoping that it would end.

"He was a good man." Zoë said not wanting to talk about it but feeling as though she had to fill the silence.

"I'm so sorry for you…I can't understand what it must be like." Katy said.

Zoë didn't reply but took a while to group her thoughts together. She knew that this girl hadn't done anything to her but she liked to keep a distance from people it's what kept her alive in the past. She realised that she couldn't stand back forever though.

"Any way…tell me about yourself…enough of me I don't like to dwell on it." She said cheerfully not wishing to keep on the topic. She wanted to change but didn't want Katy to think she was always so hard and cold with others.

"Oh…I don't know where to start." She replied.

"Well…where did you meet Ben?" Zoë asked.

"Oh we were stationed together" Katy replied as though it was obvious.

"I know that but how did you meet properly" Zoë asked a smile verging on the edge of her lips.

"Well…there was this one time when after an incident lower down in one of the nearby hangers and the officers mess was destroyed in a fire. So they moved it to our common room and we had to share for a few weeks. He had always been around before but we'd never really spoken, but well we then got speaking and well after several times of speaking we ended up talking all night one time…sorry you don't want to hear this."

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't want to hear it." Zoë corrected her.

"I well…eventually one night before Christmas he was more nervous it seemed then usual, I knew what was going through his head." She laughed "Some of my friends had known about us and had pestered him to asking me out and well eventually he sort of did."

Zoë smiled at Katy. A genuine smile one that she couldn't have managed to summon before if she'd tried.

"Men eh?" she asked.

"You're telling me." Katy replied the two laughed.

Simon and Ben walked along the street and receive questioning glances from various people around them. Citizens were usually weary when it came to Alliance soldiers of officials being around. They'd walked past one soldier patrol and then men had actually saluted Ben. Even though at the moment he was one of the Alliances most wanted.

"So…er…you and Katy?" Simon asked nervously.

"Yes?" Ben asked back.

"How'd you too meet?" he asked behind a smile.

"Oh that's a long story." Ben replied

"We've got time…might as well divulge." Simon suggested.

"Fair enough…well we were stationed together."

"yeah I know…was it awkward?"

Ben let out a laugh. "Hell yes…I can't begin to explain how awkward it was. She was certainly the most beautiful girl on that station…or any I had ever seen. I got so nervous around her, at first she was just a friend to me, but over time that image of her changed. She wasn't this girl any more but something more, you know what I mean?"

Simon grinned and nodded; as much as he was afraid to admit it Keighley made him the happiest man in the multiverse. He just wished he could show it more.

"I know."

"Well," Ben paused as though he was remembering back really far. "I remember I was sat in the common room one day just with the weekly news we got in the post and reading it with a drink. When one of her friends walked past me and grinned. I stopped and looked up at her from my news and she told me I had to ask Katy out and soon." He laughed again, "I felt so stupid after that moment, and all I could say was okay. Any way I we'd decided to meet up again, as time was difficult between us and we met up just before Christmas and had decided I was going to ask her to go out with me that day…the hours went past as we talked and laughed together and eventually she had to head back to the labs and I waited by the moon base transport. It pulled up and I was killing myself inside urging myself to ask her out. When she looked up at me and said, "Weren't you supposed to ask me out?" I felt such a fool, truth be told I hated myself that moment but well…that girl's eyes could make me kill if I had to..." he left of trailing with his own voice.

Simon grinned at him.

"So you and Keighley?" he said countering Simon's question.

"Oh…erm…yeah that would defiantly take some time." Simon replied nervously.

"I've got time." Ben replied smiling at him.

Simon took a deep breath began to tell of the pairs difficult relationship.

Katy and Zoë had entered a store called Tempest Armaments. It was a big dusty and mouldy warehouse and the owner looked as though he'd seen enough violence to last ten life times judging by the amount of scars all over him. Each of the weapon areas were split by wire cages and they were all locked up the owner carried a huge chain of keys for these doors. They were currently sorting through various materials and ammos for the crew. Jayne had a big list as always. When it came to a firefight that man was always willing to fire off many many bullets. Mal had a small list and Zoë had her usual stuff to collect.

The storekeeper was watching over the pair as the looked through the different things. "Now to those blasted AT-34's for Jayne" Zoë said as she leaned into an ammo bin shifting through them.

"This thing looks unpleasant." Katy said picking up an extremely heavy handgun delicately. It was a thick black and ugly. Something that the Grim Reaper probably would have carried if he used a weapon.

"That's a heavy duty 74 Essence. Not that good really." Zoë said looking up from her search. "Looks good but you couldn't even hit a ship from ten metres with it."

Katy nodded and then put the gun down slowly as though it could have gone off at any moment.

"Ah, here they are" Zoë said pulling out a large green ammunition box. It was obvious by the way she had to use her legs muscles that I was really heavy.

"Is that everything?" Katy asked

"Not quite," Zoë grunted as she placed the large box onto a wheeled platform that they had been pushing around for themselves.

The thought that they hadn't quite finished seemed to annoy the owner but Zoë ignored the annoyed face and focused on Katy.

"We need to find you a weapon and Ben a weapon." Zoë said looking around the cage. They were currently in the handgun area looking for the bullets that Jayne had wanted but now Zoë glanced at all the guns in order as though she knew exactly what each of them were like.

After a moments silence Katy broke it.

"erm…me? A handgun?" she asked

"Yup, space is a though lifestyle and you need something to protect yourself. Especially where we are going." Zoë said not looking away from the gun rack.

This prompted a look of confusion from the store owner but his look was ignored by both of them.

"Ah!" Zoë exclaimed, "This will do nicely." She reach up to a silver and black handgun. It was long and thing much like the gun that Mal carried. In fact Katy would have said it was identical apart from the colour scheme.

"Here we go the 17 long barrel, Mal swears by this thing." Zoë said, as she looked the gun all around making sure it was clean and ready to use. The comment confirmed Katy's suspicion that it was the same as Mal's.

She handed it to Katy he took the gun and looked it around blankly. She'd had civil defence training back on the moon base encase of a Reaver attack but she had not paid much attention to it.

"Now for Ben's" Zoë said moving out of the cage.

Mal and Jayne entered the bar casually they had the intention of having a few drinks before Inara came. The wondered over to the bar and had a few passing glances from people in the bar. Jayne ordered the first two drinks and the pair leant against the bar with the drinks looking around the bar and it's occupants.

"How long till she gets here do you think?" Jayne asked.

"Don't know, not one for caring to be honest." Mal replied.

Jayne grinned and raised an eyebrow at him. He knew full well how the pair felt about each other but they hadn't even begun to admit it yet.

"Whatever." Jayne said shaking his head at the man and taking a swig from his drink.

"Well well, what a strangely welcoming sight" said a deep feminine voice from the side of them.

Both glanced to their rights and saw Inara dressed in a red robe like dress with a golden oriental design on it.

"Inara, we were just talking about you" Mal said smiling.

"Yeah? Well I trust it was only good things?" she said sitting on one of the bar stools.

"Ain't it always Inara?" Jayne said grinning but not looking at her face as usual.

"Right…any way what do you want Mal?" Inara asked shaking of Jayne's inane comment.

Mal looked at her a moment and then glanced around the bar. Everyone in the bar seemed distracted by his or her companions. A cheer arose from the pool table where four seedy looking men engaged in the game.

"We've had a development on the…situation." He added a nervous cough at the end not sure of how to phrase it always being careful on who could be listening. He looked at the barman who was quite happy cleaning one of the glasses.

"Which situation would that be?" Inara asked inquisitively.

Jayne was distracted by the pool game and stepped away from the bar leaving Mal and Inara talking.

Mal watched Jayne go over to the pool table and felt like he had to keep an eye on him much like a small child. He shook his head as Jayne seemed to click with the men almost instantly and began a match with them.

Mal looked back and Inara and gave her a slight smile.

"You know what I mean, us the Alliance…them killing innocent folk with their hellish schemes. Ringing any bells?" he asked looking at her.

Inara nodded and then began to look around the bar,

"What development would this be?" Inara asked.

"We've found ourselves a pair of fugitives, a pilot and scientist from the Alliance who have been on the run for a few months now…they know what has been going on…they can prove it scientifically to, we're just collecting equipment to go back through the Reaver strip to get some samples and collect that message again." He paused to look around the bar again.

"Hold one moment, I thought we got the message out already?" Inara asked.

"We did but the signal was stopped by most planets. Most planets where it got to no one paid much attention to it."

"So what's different this time?" Inara asked.

"We have a plan" Mal grinned.

"Which would be?" she asked rolling her eyes.

"Not for here I'm afraid but if you want to join us and help finish what we started you're more then welcome." Mal said.

Inara looked around and then smiled at him.

"Of course."

"Excellent,"

The two were lost in each other's company to notice what Jayne was up to.

Mal turned to order them some drinks when he heard a voice.

"Hey! You fracking cheater!" it shouted.

He glanced over to the pool table and saw the men squaring up to Jayne. Mal let out a sigh and then rushed to his aid.

Inara accepted the drinks that Mal ordered and then took a sip of hers,

"Just like old times." She smiled as the first punch was thrown.

Ben was holding one of the briefcases they'd just acquired from the medical department and Simon held the other one. It had been so simple they hadn't even had to sign anything. They had simple walked up to the main desk and Ben had asked to see the manager and then they had got the things very easily as soon as Ben started using his rank as money basically. He hadn't even had to shout at any one. So now they walked with the two testing kits that they needed to prove what they wanted. Now all they needed were the samples and that would be a lot harder.

They walked along the street past another soldier patrol, Ben decided to give them an acknowledging nod as he walked past and all four of the soldiers saluted.

Ben smiled and walked on with Simon.

"Hard to think we're the Alliance's most wanted?" he mused to Simon.

"I know especially after how easy it was to get these" Simon replied tapping the side of the box.

"Well at least we have them that's all that counts." Ben said looking around and enjoying the sights of Oberon.

The two were walking along in silence when they passed a bar. They could hear a raucous of sound coming from within and before they could get past the door a man was thrown clean through the window. The glass shattered and was sent across the street. The man hit the ground with a grunt and a cry of pain.

Ben and Simon jumped backwards from the sudden shock of the man. The shouts from the inside of the bar were more clear now after the glass had been shattered.

"Oh no…" Simon groaned.

"What is it? What's wrong?" Ben asked leaning over and going to look into the bar.

"Mal and Jayne" he replied shaking his head.

Ben looked in and saw the pair engaged in a fist fight with what seemed most of the bar.

He quickly reacted and placed his briefcase on the ground and stepped through the window into the bar.

The sound was almost deafening, Mal gripped a table leg in his hand and was fighting off two men. Jayne was mid way throwing someone over the bar into a lot of glasses.

"Drink." Mal ordered holding his hand out to Inara.

She smiled at him sarcastically and handed him his glass, he took a large swig out of it and then threw it at the nearest man.

BANG

A gun shot, the whole bar went quiet and every one looked at Ben who was stood on a table in the bar his gun in the air and was still smoking as everyone looked up at him.

"Oh dear." Mal gasped.

"…New pilot?" Inara asked

"uh huh"

"RIGHT!" Ben shouted "Now that I have you're attention, you can all kindly stop. As an officer in the Alliance I order you to cease this pointless brawl and go home."

Ben looked around at the stunned men and smiled as he holstered his gun. "Good"

Before he could look around again a voice struck up from the crowd.

"Alliance ain't got no jurisdiction 'ere."

Before he could react a man reached out a pulled the table out from under him and the brawl was under way again.

He fell into a chair and it gave way under the impact of his weight. Simon placed down his own briefcase and rushed in to help his new friend.

He bent down to help him up and before he could help him up he felt a hand on his shoulder. He looked up to see what the hand was and then felt a fist hit his check and set him scattering to the floor.

Ben reacted and swung himself up even though his shoulder felt like it was burning with pain. He grabbed the nearest chair and smashed it into the man who had just hit Simon. The man was hit in the chest and fell into a table and it snapped under his weight.

Jayne shoulder barged a man onto the pool table the smashed his head onto the side of it.

Mal advanced at the nearest man and raised a kick to the man's groin. The man crumpled up onto the floor.

"Wooh yeah!" he exclaimed from the sudden rush of excitement. "I love a good brawl."

A while later they were all sat in the cargo bay of Serenity nursing their various wounds. Keighley held a rag with ice onto to Simon's bruised head. Jayne paced up and down as though he was still rushing on the adrenaline. Ben nursed his shoulder keeping one hand on it and leaned against Katy. Mal was injury free and was stood next to Inara, who had said her hellos again to the crew and she had just been introduced to the crew.

Jayne was left to pace up and down as though he was still on the rush of adrenaline from the whole affair.

"Do you go looking for these fights Jayne?" Inara asked looking extremely dignified in the whole procedure.

"No they just couldn't accept me winning." Jayne said defensively.

"I've told you only a few days ago about cheating haven't I?" Mal said to him.

"I ain't done no cheating Mal" he pleaded.

"I've told you about lying as well." Mal added. He then turned to Ben "Can we get this thing in the air then, I'm not too keen on hanging around after a scrap?"

Ben nodded from his seat next on one of the cargo boxes. He stood up and winded up his shoulder as though it was stiff and in need of oil then he trudged off up the stairs towards the cockpit.

Mal moved over and closed the outside doors.


	6. Chapter 6: The Plan

Ben let loose the flight controls they were now cruising through space and using their momentum to take them where they wanted

Ben let loose the flight controls they were now cruising through space and using their momentum to take them where they wanted. It would take them a few days to reach the border planets before they had any hope of tackling the Reaver strip.

He leaned back in his chair and let out a sigh. He winced from the sudden sharp pain in his shoulder from the bruise that was sure to follow from the bar room brawl.

He looked over his shoulder and saw River the girl stood in the doorway staring at him. Well it seemed as though she was looking at him. He couldn't tell she seemed to be looking straight through him.

It took her a few moments to realise that he'd seen her, then she put on a huge grin and wondered along into the cockpit towards the co-pilot seat.

"Did you like it?" she asked sitting down in the chair, then proceeded to make it spin on the spot.

"Sorry, what?" he asked very confused, he was extremely uncomfortable with her being her. She made him nervous partly because he'd heard the stories like where she'd decided to slash Jayne open.

"Flying for them" she replied stopping the chair and looking at his chest.

He glanced down and saw the symbol of his old regiment.

"It was okay for a time." Ben replied. "I'll admit I enjoyed times but what happened before I left was too bad for me to ever want to go back."

"River, there you are." Simon gasped entering the door with Zoë close behind him. "she hasn't bothered you has she?" he asked.

"No it's fine" Ben replied.

He looked across at Zoë and saw her face was as bland as usual and she gripped a rifle in her hands. It was a silver thing with bits of black countering the shiny parts. There was a scope onto and the barrel was quite long on it. It was still a bolt action one but it looked very deadly.

"Hello Zoë" he said, knowing full well that the woman wasn't too keen on him so he kept his distance from her

"This is for you" she said holding it out with a smile.

Ben was taken back for a moment by her sudden gift.

"Not that I'm flattered but why?" he asked.

"Call it a gift from Mal, he decided you two would need a good weapon each other then that stupid Alliance issue gun you carry." She explained.

"I see…hang on us two?" he asked

"Yes, Katy's just got a handgun…you understand space is a dangerous place" Zoë said defensively.

"I understand yes." Ben nodded, although a bit grudgingly he didn't want Katy to have to wield a gun but he knew space, you had to know how to use one.

"Any way Mal wants a crew meeting" Zoë said turning and leaving.

Simon and River followed close behind and Ben flicked a few switches and pressed a few buttons then he swung himself out of the chair and headed towards the dinning room with his new weapon in his hand.

He clumped down the steps and saw Jayne climbing out of his room yawning. He gave Ben a sly smile as he walked past. Ben confused just carried on walking giving a quick confused glance over his shoulder then continued into the dining area. He walked in Jayne close behind him.

"Nice gun." Jayne said the smile on his face quite large now.

Ben then knew exactly what he had been smiling at now. Ben looked at the new weapon and smiled at him.

"Thanks" he replied and then went to take a seat in between Katy and Simon.

Mal was leaning against the wall and Zoë was sat at the head of the table she was in the middle of cleaning her gun and didn't look up at Ben when he took a seat down. He supposed her brief good mood had come to a close. Although she didn't seem to be acknowledging anyone at the table. She, he presumed, it must have been the fact that she was so engrossed in what she was doing to even care.

They were talking amongst themselves when Mal put them all quiet with a short introductory cough. They all went quiet and looked up at him.

"Right you all know of the situation, we need to get through that Reaver strip and get those samples to get proof of what the Alliance has done. Youa'll have your reasons for hating the Alliance. So now they end, now we face against them once more. They need to be disbanded for what they do and what they have done." He said, giving the kind of speech expecting from a politician rather then an ex-soldier.

"We have to get through the Reaver strip sooner rather then later. There's not a lot we can do to pass through, we need to land on the nearest planet and work on Serenity again so we look passable as Reaver ship, otherwise this plans gonna fall at the first hurdle. Zoë has the plan on what we do when we arrive." Mal handed over to her.

Zoë who managed to finish cleaning the gun in Mal's speech stood up and took over from him.

"Most of us have been there before and was know where we are going. So the plan is this. Jayne, Mal, Katy and Simon are going to find the samples in order for us to have our medical proof on the Reavers." The four exchanged glances. "Ben and myself are going to retrieve the video sample again. Plus search that bunker for any other evidence. Keighley, River and Inara shall guard the ship keep her ready to make sure that we can move as soon as we get back."

Ben looked up at Zoë not sure what to make of his mission partner thinking that he really didn't wish to go on a mission with a woman who didn't even like him.

"What are we going to do after we've got these samples?" he asked, knowing what he'd like to do, but not sure how they could bring around the end of the Alliance.

"We're going to pay a visit to leaders of the planets, starting with the old independents, ones who are liable to start a revolt." Mal said.

"We wont get near planet leaders." Simon said almost laughing at the prospect of trying.

"Yes we will, either through the correct methods or by breaking into their houses to make them see us…it'll be peaceful…we don't want to seem like a bunch of terrorists" he replied.

Simon nodded in defeat, although some criticism was needed of the plan otherwise they'd simply go along and think they were going to be fine and that's not what they could afford to do.

"So it's a simple in and out when in the Reaver strip?" Ben asked from his position on the chair.

"Simple as." Mal replied smiling. "That's all, now I suggest you get some shut eye it's going to be a hard day or so when we get there. How long till we reach the planet for preparations Ben?"

"Should be there tomorrow evening." He replied.

"Good, have a pleasant evening all." Mal said and then headed towards the kitchen to make himself something to eat.

Ben sat down on the edge of the bed as he struggled to take on of his boots off. They eventually clunked off and hit the ground with a heavy thump. He grabbed placed his new rifle down on the bed and rubbed his eyes.

"What's wrong?" Katy asked as she dozed on the bed.

"Oh nothing." Ben replied looking back at her and smiling. "This is the first time I've been nervous before a mission…if you could call it that." He explained.

"I'm sure we'll be fine, you know what you're doing when it comes to flying." She said encouragingly.

"Yeah well…still doesn't stop me being dam scared of those Reavers." He said.

"You're scared? How do you think I feel? I've only ever seen dead ones before…at least you know how to kill them." She replied a half smile on her face.

"It's not hard…simple point and squeeze the trigger." He let out a small laugh afterwards.

He picked up his gun and looked at it once more and ran through the loading procedure once more to make sure he had it grasped. The bolt slid back fluidly and the trigger felt smooth and well oiled. He couldn't have asked for a better weapon if he'd tried. He then leant down on the floor and placed it next to his boots with the bandoleer.

She laughed as well and the lay back on the bed.

He looked up at the ceiling and let out a sigh. His mind full of thoughts, so many, so many things that could go wrong with their quest. Never before had he been so worried or scared for their safeties they'd escaped the lions jaw to go climbing back in again. However if they did this they could be free once again. The people of the Alliance would know, they wouldn't have to be on the run any more.

He looked back at her then placed his gun down and they slowly removed his flak armour and placed it by the bed and he turned and clambered up level to her. He lay down and turned his head to look at her.

Her eyes were closed and her hair flopped in front of her face. He brushed the hair out of her eyes and looked down at her. She moved closer to him and he put his arms around and felt her curl up next to him.

"We'll be okay." She said soothingly

"Of course we will." He replied. "…You know I'd die for you?"

"I know…"


End file.
